Prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in vascular disease: comparative study of thrombotic venous disease vis-à-vis occlusive arterial disease

Studies on hyperhomocysteinemia in vascular occlusive disease have included mostly patients with arterial occlusion. However, more recent studies have included cases of venous occlusive disease as well. Our present study is aimed at comparing the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in venous occlusive disease vis-à-vis arterial occlusive disease in the North Indian urban population. Homocysteine was estimated by chemiluminescent immunoassay in 205 normal controls and 536 patients, 244 presenting with arterial occlusion and 292 with venous thrombotic disease. The mean homocysteine in patients with arterial occlusion was 21.79 +/- 0.09 micromol/L (mean +/- standard error of measurement), in patients with venous thrombosis was 25.53 +/- 0.1 micromol/L, and in controls was 11.33 +/- 0.18 micromol/L. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia (> 15 micromol/L) was 56.38% in arterial occlusive disease and 54.64% in venous thrombosis. In patients with peripheral vascular occlusive disease, patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) had the highest mean homocysteine level (25.51 micromol/L), which was even higher (32.14 micromol/L) when associated with pulmonary embolism (PE). There is a high prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in arterial and venous occlusive disease. Hence, in all patients with vascular occlusive disease, hyperhomocysteinemia should be elucidated and treated. In addition, long-term follow-up is required to ascertain whether the reduction in homocysteine decreases the thrombotic events and whether homocysteine levels can actually be of prognostic or predictive value in cases of DVT with PE.     

Etiology of Kienböck disease

The etiology of Kienb?ck disease is still unknown and, consequently, the ideal treatment is in doubt. Many different hypotheses have been suggested. There are reasons to believe that there are mechanical, vascular, and metabolic factors predisposing to the disease, and probably some factors triggering the development of the process. Among mechanical factors, the short ulna has been thought to be the most relevant. However, presently there are insufficient data to support a significant association between negative ulnar variance and Kienb?ck disease. With regard to vascular factors, anatomical studies have shown consistent dorsal and palmar arteries entering the bone, and thus, the most likely site for vascular impairment may be at the subchondral level. Many triggering factors have been proposed during the past years, but until this is truly clarified, finding the real cause of Kienb?ck disease will continue to be a real challenge.     

Identification of potential biomarkers of Peyronie＇s disease

Aim： To identity proteins that are differentially expressed in cells derived from normal and diseased tunica albuginea （TA） as related to Peyronie＇s disease （PD）. Methods： Cells with characteristics of fibroblasts were isolated from two tissue sources. Those from the plaque of patients with PD were designated as PT cells, and those from the normally- appearing TA of the same patients were designated as NT cells. Messenger RNAs of these cells were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） for the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 （MCP-1）. Crude protein lysates were analyzed by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry （SELDI-MS） with IMAC30-Cu, CM10, and H50 chips. Each lysate was then separated into six fractions, which were further analyzed by SELDI-MS. Results： RT- PCR analysis showed that PT cells expressed higher levels of MCP-1 than their counterpart NT cells. SELDI-MS analysis showed that the crude protein lysates of all four cell strains produced similar and reproducible protein profiles on IMAC30-Cu and CM 10 chips. Additional SELDI-MS analyses with the fractionated lysates detected three proteins of 11.6 kDa, 14.5 kDa, 22.6 kDa that were upregulated in PT cells and two proteins of 6.3 kDa and 46,9 kDa that were downregulated in PT cells. Conclusion： MCP-1, which is often involved in tissue fibrosis, was expressed at higher levels in PT than that in NT cells. Five potential biomarkers for PD were identified by SELDI-MS analysis. （Asian J Androl 2005 Sep; 7： 237-243）     

Castleman’s disease of the pleura

Castleman’s disease is a rare benign disease of the lymph nodes. Its origin from the pleura is rare. Surgical excision, when feasible, appears to provide good results. We encountered a patient who had the disease arising from the parietal pleura. We present the clinical scenario, investigations, and our management of the patient.     

Non-surgical therapy of Peyronie＇s disease

The present paper provides a review of the available non-surgical treatments for Peyronie＇s disease （PD）. A review of published literature on oral, intralesional, external energy and iontophoresis therapies for PD was performed, and the published results of available treatment options reviewed. The authors＇ recommendations for appropriate non-surgical management of PD are provided. Although there are many published reports that show the efficacy of non-surgical therapies for PD, there is a lack of large scale, multicenter controlled clinical trials, which makes treatment recommendations difficult. Careful review of the literature does suggest that there are treatment options that make scientific sense and appear to stabilize the disease process, reduce deformity, and improve function. Offering no treatment at all will encourage our patients to pursue alternative treatments, which might do harm, and misses the opportunity to do some good. Clearly further work is necessary to develop safe and effective non-surgical treatments for PD.     

Coxitis fugax--the beginning of Perthes' disease?

We present the clinical case of a decennial boy with acute leftsided hip pain without appropriate trauma. The initial diagnosis of coxitis fugax was verified in this case with inconspicuous blood parameters and X-ray by a sonographically proven intraarticular effusion. An immediate magnet resonance imaging (MRI) study of the affected hip joint was done. Here, a complete "necrosis" of the proximal femur epiphysis was verified. With knowledge of these results, an immediate operation of the hip joint with a ventral capsule incision and consecutive intraarticular decompression was performed. A complete reperfusion of the femur head was evident in the MRI scan seven days postoperatively. In accordance with this clinical case report, we would like to point out the necessity for the immediate diagnosis of indifferent hip pain by means of MRI, especially for patients in the atypical "critical age" (> or = 8 years) for coxitis fugax. This is discussed under consideration of the possible aetiopathogenesis and the current literature.     

Reliability of the Lichtman classification of Kienböck's disease

The purpose of this study was to establish the interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility of the staging of Kienb?ck's disease according to Lichtman's classification. Posteroanterior and lateral wrist radiographs of 64 patients with a diagnosis of Kienb?ck's disease and 10 control subjects were reviewed independently by 4 observers on 2 separate occasions. The reviewers included 3 hand fellowship-trained surgeons and 1 orthopedist who was not fellowship-trained in hand surgery. A stage was assigned to each set of radiographs according to the Lichtman classification. Paired comparisons for reliability among the 4 observers showed an average absolute percentage agreement of 74% and an average paired weighted kappa coefficient of 0.71. Furthermore, all the controls were correctly classified as stage I, which is in accordance with the Lichtman system. With regard to reproducibility, observers duplicated their initial readings 79% of the time with an average weighted kappa coefficient of 0.77. These results indicate substantial reliability and reproducibility of the Lichtman classification for Kienb?ck's disease.     

Surgical management of Crohn’s disease

Introduction

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract. It is chronic and incurable, and the mainstay of therapy is medical management with surgical intervention as complications arise. Surgery is required in approximately 70% of patients with Crohn’s disease. Because repeat interventions are often needed, these patients may benefit from bowel-sparing techniques and minimally invasive approaches. Various bowel-sparing techniques, including strictureplasty, can be applied to reduce the risk of short-bowel syndrome.

Methods

A review of the available literature using the PubMed search engine was undertaken to compile data on the surgical treatment of Crohn’s disease.

Results and conclusion

Data support the use of laparoscopy in treating Crohn’s disease, although the potential technical challenges in these settings mandate appropriate prerequisite surgical expertise.     

Initial treatment of parkinson’s disease

Opinion statement Initial treatment of early idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) begins with diagnosis based on clinical evaluation supplemented by laboratory studies and brain imaging to exclude causes of secondary parkinsonism. In most cases, testing is normal and the diagnosis of PD rests on clinical criteria. In patients with mild symptoms and signs, the diagnosis of PD may not initially be apparent, and follow-up evaluation is needed to arrive at a diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is made, pharmacologic treatment may not be the first step. First, patient education is essential, especially because PD is a highprofile disease for which information and misinformation are readily available to patients and families. Counseling concerning prognosis, future symptoms, future disability, and treatment must be provided. Questions from patients concerning diet, lifestyle, and exercise are especially common at this point. The decision of when to initiate treatment is the next major consideration. Much controversy but relatively little light has been brought to bear on this issue. L-dopa was the first major antiparkinson medication to be introduced and remains the “gold standard” of treatment. Next in efficacy are the dopamine agonists (DAs). A debate has raged concerning whether initial dopaminergic treatment should be with L-dopa or DAs. Physicians have been concerned about forestalling the appearance of dyskinesias and motor fluctuations, whereas patients have incorrectly understood that L-dopa and possibly other antiparkinson drugs have a finite duration of usefulness, making it important to defer treatment for as long as possible. This has created “L-dopa phobia,” which may stand in the way of useful treatment. In spite of this controversy, there is uniform agreement that the appropriate time to treat is when the patient is beginning to be disabled. This varies from patient to patient and depends on age, employment status, nature of job, level of physical activity, concern about appearance, and other factors. The choice of a specific drug is sometimes dictated by the patient’s symptoms. For example, L-dopa is preferable for severe akinesia, an anticholinergic may be useful when tremor is the most prominent symptom (especially in those aged younger than 70 years), and DAs may be indicated for younger patients, more prone to dyskinesias and fluctuations, with relatively mild symptoms. It is also important to manage non-motor symptoms in patients with early PD. Anxiety and depression are particularly common at this stage and may be presenting symptoms of PD. Where appropriate, counseling and/or treatment with anxiolytics and antidepressants should be considered.     

Arthroscopic assessment of Kienböck's disease

Arthroscopic examination was performed on 32 wrists of 32 patients with Kienböck's disease to relate the appearance of the intraarticular structures, particularly the articular cartilage, to the radiographic stage. The articular cartilage showed osteoarthritic changes in stage III, although this was not evident on plain radiographs. Cracking in the distal facet and flapping at the proximal facet of the lunate were identified as features of Kienböck's disease. The incidence of interosseous ligament tears was correlated with radiographically determined stage, whereas changes in triangular fibrocartilage were correlated with age and ulnar variance. Wrist arthroscopy is a useful staging tool for Kienböck's disease, supplying helpful information about the intraarticular pathoanatomy which can be used to guide patient management.     

Mechanisms of renal disease in β-thalassemia

Although advances in the care of patients with β-thalassemia translate into better patient survival, this success has allowed previously unrecognized complications to emerge, including several renal abnormalities. Clinical studies continue to show that mild tubular dysfunction and abnormalities in GFR are common in patients with β-thalassemia. Chronic anemia and iron overload are believed to lie behind these abnormalities. Nonprogressive increases in levels of serum creatinine have also been observed after exposure to some iron chelators. Longitudinal studies are needed to understand the true burden of renal dysfunction in patients with β-thalassemia.     

Castleman’s disease of the spleen

Introduction: Castleman’s disease (CD), also known as giant or angiofolicular lymphoid hyperplasia or lymphoid hamartoma, is a group of atypical lymphoproliferative disorders that share common lymph node histological features and may be localized either to a single lymph node (unicentric) or occur systemically (multicentric).

Patient and Method: Herein, we present a rare case of a of 75-year-old female patient who was referred to our department and after a thorough work-up, underwent splenectomy with synchronous resection of an accessory spleen, splenic artery lymph nodes, and splenic hilar lymph nodes due to splenic involvement in a multicentric CD.

Results: The pathology of the specimens led to the conclusion that it was a case of polycentric HHV-8-positive CD, affecting the spleen, the accessory spleen, and the lymph nodes.

Conclusions: Incidence of this rare condition is believed to be approximately 0.001–0.05%. CD has been linked to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), and is associated with malignancies. The pathogenesis mechanism is considered to be a dysregulation and hypersecretion of cytokines, either idiopathic or secondary to a viral infection, with the latter considered the most frequent. Solid organ involvement is very rare as is splenic involvement.     

Is clinical expressiveness of Paget's disease of bone decreasing?

Recent data have suggested secular changes implying a current trend toward decreased clinical severity of Paget's disease of bone (PD). To test this hypothesis, we conducted a study comparing the characteristics of two groups of PD patients, as disclosed from a sample assessed systematically. The investigation was a hospital-based study of all cases followed up at our unit since 1980. Throughout the follow-up period, diagnosis was based on standard X-ray criteria and the same clinical assessment was applied. Group I (n = 124) represented patients born before 1926, whereas group II (n = 109) included those born after that year. A bone scan performed with 99mTc-EHDP was available for all patients. X-rays of the pelvis and spine, and views of any hot spot observed on the scintigraphy scans were reviewed. The skeletal extent of PD, based on bone scan uptake, was determined by using the index proposed by Coutris. Alkaline phosphatase and hydroxyproline excretion levels were determined in blood and urine, respectively. Baseline characteristics were recorded on a purpose-designed computerized database. The proportion of males (47% in group I vs. 65% in group II; p = 0.007) and the mean (+/-SD) age at diagnosis (69.0 +/- 8.15 vs. 54.3 +/-9.14; p < 0.001) differed significantly between groups. The year of birth showed a strong negative correlation with age at diagnosis (r = -0.83, p < 0.0001) and a weak, but significant, negative correlation with extent of bone lesion (r = -0.20; p = 0.002). Likewise, subjects born prior to 1926 showed a greater percentage of affected skeleton cases (9.6 plus minus 8.01 vs. 7.06 +/- 5.79; p = 0.001). Group I individuals who had pelvic and/or femoral bone lesions were more prone to suffer "pagetic coxopathy" (65% vs. 40%; p = 0.003) with "protrusio acetabuli" (32% vs. 17%; p = 0.01), and the percentage of patients showing radiographic Monckeberg-type vascular calcifications (36% vs. 14%; p = 0.0006) was higher than in those born after 1926. No other epidemiologically clinically, or biochemically relevant differences were seen in the crude analysis. Multivariate analysis identified extent of skeletal lesions (OR = 0.76; p = 0.01), age at diagnosis (OR = 0.79; p = 0.008), number of bones involved (OR = 1.53; p = 0.03), and occupation (p < 0.0001) as the predictive variables linked to year of birth. Our data are consistent with a temporal tendency toward a smaller number of bone lesions and a decreased percentage of instances of affected skeleton. An earlier age at recent diagnosis times and absence of any relevant clinical or biochemical differences seems more likely linked to recent changes in referral and sociological patterns.